The present invention relates to a device for recharging the storage battery of an intra-auricular auditory prosthesis, to the intra-auricular auditory prosthesis which can be used with this device, and to a method for manufacturing this device.
An intra-auricular auditory prosthesis has a hollow body housing a miniaturized battery which is used for feeding the microphone, the amplifier and the receiver which said prosthesis comprises, these themselves also being miniaturized and housed in said body, and it has relatively reduced dimensions, a smooth outer wall and a specific shape adapted for it to be placed and worn in the ear.
The battery has to be changed every three to fifteen days, depending on the prostheses. To do this, it is necessary to lift the closure flap of the battery casing, remove the used battery, replace it with another, and then put the lid of the casing back in place.
It is easy to imagine the difficulties which these various successive operations can present for persons with poor control of their hands, in particular the elderly, taking into consideration the difficulties involved in gripping and holding the body of the prosthesis during its removal and during the positioning of the battery, itself difficult to grip.
The prosthesis can be lost or damaged if dropped to the ground during these maneuvers.
Moreover, the opening flap already mentioned is situated on that face of the body of the prosthesis which can be seen from the outside when said prosthesis is placed in the ear, which state of affairs is prejudicial to the visual appearance of the prosthesis.
A prosthesis does in fact exist which comprises a storage battery and a coil permitting the recharging of the storage battery by induction, that is to say without removing it from the body, and this is described in the journal "Hearing Instruments", vol. 38, no. 7 of July 1987, but this prosthesis has the disadvantage of being very bulky on account of the dimensions of the coil and, as a result, rather conspicuous and unattractive.